Lord Triesman: The EU had much to celebrate on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the treaties of Rome. The Berlin declaration is a political statement that celebrated the event, recalling the historic achievements of the last50 years, and looking ahead to the challenges that we, the countries of the EU, need to face together. It was right that the event was marked in this way and that the UK was part of that celebration.
	The declaration identifies, for example, some of the future challenges facing the EU—climate change, energy security, poverty and global terrorism. We welcome this focus on areas of real relevance to the citizens of the EU and that are at the heart of the UK's priorities. Most recently, the spring European Council demonstrated the EU's capacity for leadership on the key issues of energy and climate change. These are issues on which we can only make progress by working with our European partners.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will respond to the report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, The Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (14th report, Session 2004—05, HL Paper 88), published on31 March 2005.